1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a cutting device for cutting a printed portion of tape material to a predetermined length for use as a label and trimming each end of the resulting cut-off piece, e.g. into one with a radius, and a printing apparatus incorporating the cutting device.
2. Prior Art
As a conventional printing apparatus incorporating a cutting device of the above-mentioned kind, a tape-printing apparatus has been proposed e.g. by Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 3-278973, which includes a printing device for printing characters and figures on a printing tape affixed to a peel-off backing from which a printed portion can be removed, a tape feeder for advancing the printing tape to send the printed portion out of the apparatus, and a tape-cutting device for cutting the printed portion off the printing tape to a predetermined length. Further, this apparatus is equipped with an end-trimming device for trimming corners of opposite ends of the printed portion having the predetermined length into curved ones each having a predetermined radius. The trimming of the corners of the ends of the printed portion (cut-off piece) by the end-trimming device helps to prevent the printed portion, after it is affixed to an object or article as a label, from being peeled off at the ends thereof, and also enhance the appearance of the printed portion as a label. The tape-cutting device for cutting the printing tape to a predetermined length and the end-trimming device for trimming the ends of the printed portion (cut-off piece) are constructed as separate devices independent of each other, and operated independently of each other.
Thus, the conventional tape-printing apparatus includes two kinds of cutting devices for cutting the tape, i.e. the tape-cutting device and the end-trimming device, which are constructed separately and independently of each other. Therefore, it is necessary to provide the two cutting devices with respective drive mechanisms for driving the same, separately and independently of each other. As a result, much space has to be secured for the tape-cutting device, the drive mechanism for driving the tape-cutting device, the end-trimming device, and the drive mechanism for driving the end-trimming device, which poses a hurdle to reduction of the size of the tape-printing apparatus. Further, provision of the separate drive mechanisms independent of each other for the respective cutting devices is wasteful, and creates an obstacle to reduction of costs in manufacturing the conventional tape-printing apparatus.